Iran slams adoption of UN Arms Trade Treaty

IRNA -(Fri Mar 29, 2013) Iranˈs Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee here on Thursday evening opposed adoption of the United Nation Arms Trade Treaty, complaining that it was flawed and failed to ban weapons sales to terrorist groups.

Khazaee made the remarks while addressing the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty.Pointing to the existence of several legal flaws in the UN Arms Trade Treaty draft, he said in spite of Iranˈs efforts to address these flaws in a serious and constructive dialogue, the final draft of the Arms Trade Treaty was prepared.ˈThe achievement of such a treaty has been rendered out of reach due to many legal flaws and loopholes,ˈ he said, adding, ˈIt is a matter of deep regret that genuine efforts of many countries for a robust, balanced and non-discriminatory treaty were ignored.ˈOne of those flaws was its failure to ban sales of weapons to groups that commit ˈacts of aggression,ˈ, Khazaee noted.ˈHow can we reduce human suffering by turning a blind eye to aggression that costs the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?ˈ he asked.While the main role of the UN is countering acts of aggression, the current draft neglects the calls of many countries to prohibit the transfer of arms to those who have committed aggression, Khazaee stressed.

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations serves as the chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the 120 nation, the Non-Aligned Movement.It was in that capacity that he and other NAM delegates met with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council President on Israeli crimes against Palestinians. They called for the UN to do more to pressure Israel into abiding by international law.The UN Human Rights Council has issued several reports condemning illegal Israeli settlement-building in occupied lands — as well as the lack of due process for the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.For the most part — Israel tends to ignore such reports — even when action is called for by the UN Secretary-General.The Arms Trade Treaty talks have been going on for years — and while most nations agree that regulation of the world’s arms trade is needed — details keep getting in the way.In his statement — Khazaee said that there were simply too many key issues left out — such as drones — and he added that flaws and loopholes leave the text susceptible to politicization — manipulation — and discrimination.The simple issue of a nation’s right to acquire conventional weapons to defend itself — he said — was sadly not addressed. In the end — though many member states were said to be unhappy with the text — it was Khazaee who voted against the draft treaty along with Syria and North Korea.Khazaee added — in his statement — that special language had been added in the text to protect US individuals’ right to own weapons to satisfy US special interests — even when law groups have said the treaty wouldn’t have any impact on individual ownership. The text — as is — is said to be headed to the UN General Assembly for a vote — where member states’ opinions of it will likely be much more clear.

Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazayee said that the UN’s draft treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar international arms trade contains “legal shortcomings”.“The achievement of such a treaty has been rendered out of reach due to many legal flaws and loopholes,” Khazayee said, addressing the UN Arms Trade Treaty.He noted that the final draft of the treaty was prepared despite Iran’s efforts to address these flaws in a serious and constructive manner.“One of those flaws was the treaty’s failure to ban sales of weapons to groups that commit acts of aggression,” Khazayee said.He asked how the human suffering can be reduced while turning a blind eye to aggression that costs the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?Some 2,000 representatives of governments, international and regional organizations and civil societies have gathered at the UN headquarters in New York City to hammer out the details of the agreement, which was seen as the most important initiative ever about regulation of conventional arms within the UN.If passed, the treaty would apply to all conventional arms within the categories of battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light weapons, according to the draft text.According to the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, violence kills more than half a million people each year, including 66,000 women and girls. In addition, about 800 humanitarian workers were killed and nearly 700 injured in armed attacks across the world between 2000 and 2010.